Al-Jazeera reporters claim mistreatment in Ferguson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Three journalists who reported on the 2014 Ferguson riots for Al-Jazeera America have filed a lawsuit accusing police officers of violating their rights.

The lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in St. Louis, Ash-har Quraishi, Marla Cichowski and Sam Winslade name St. Charles County and three police officers as defendants.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the journalists claim they were tear-gassed and that police officers shot at them more than once, dismantled their equipment, ordered them to leave the scene of protests and then tried to cover up their behavior. The lawsuit cites incidents on August 13, 2014 and seeks unspecified actual and punitive damages and expenses.

St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann says the officers acted professionally, and the county intends to clear them of any suspicion.